The present invention relates to helmets. Specifically, the present invention relates to helmets having means of retaining eyewear, such as goggles, to the helmet.
Helmets can be bulky and unattractive. This is largely due to the intended functionality of helmets. There are two main components to a helmetxe2x80x94the outer shell, and the inner liner. The inner liner, which commonly is made from foam, provides impact attenuation.
Prior art helmets are equipped with a thick outer shell. The shell is constructed to be able to support many of the attachments that accompany a protective helmet, such as straps, ear protectors, padding, ventilation systems, etc. While it is desirable to construct as light a helmet as possible without sacrificing structural integrity, many prior art helmets require a thick outer shell to withstand the various attachments to the helmet, as these items are unable to be attached to the inner liner because of its foam composition. Indeed, many prior art liners are composed of material that will not support attachment means such as a rivet or snap or other fasteners, although they provide the necessary impact attenuation properties. As the function of prior art, protective helmets often dictate the form they take, protective helmets are heavy and burdensome.
Other helmets, such as those commonly used for bicycling or skiing, may use a thinner walled shell to reduce the overall weight of the helmet. With thin-shelled helmets, neither the foam liner nor the shell is structurally capable of supporting fasteners, such as rivets or screws, that hold chin straps, ear protectors, and the like. In some helmets, the webbing is passed over apertures created between the liner and shell and the strap runs down the sides of the helmet eventually forming the chin straps. One particular type of helmet is molded in a single operation where a liner is allowed to bond to an exterior shell in a mold. One term used to describe this process and the helmet it produces is xe2x80x9cin-moldxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cin-moldingxe2x80x9d. It is believed that in-mold helmets provide superior protection as compared with helmets wherein the interior foam liner is glued or tacked onto the exterior shell. The drawback with thin shell helmets is the lack of support for accessories and a means of fixing them securely to the helmet.
The thicker shell helmets can support rivets and screws on the shell, but they are too heavy. In one aspect, the present invention seeks to fulfill the need to have ways of attaching one or more accessories to the helmet while maintaining a thin shell.
Helmets have become commonplace in many sporting and outdoor activities. In addition, it is often necessary, due to the nature of the activity, for the user of protective helmets to also have a need for eyewear, such as goggles. As such, users of helmets have been forced to wear, simultaneously, both a helmet as well as separate eyewear. Because of the unique shape and often slippery outer surface of a helmet, users have found it difficult to secure the eyewear to the helmet when engaged in sporting or outdoor activities.
Prior art devices exist that have attempted to provide means of retaining the protective eyewear to the helmet to prevent the eyewear from slipping off while in use. One such device is a retaining means attached to the rear of the helmet. The retaining means located at the rear of the helmet serves to fasten the elastic band of the eyewear to the helmet, thus reducing the potential for the eyewear to become separated from the helmet. However, a retaining means of this type is limited in its usefulness by its location at the rear of the helmet. For example, eyewear is often temporarily removed and slid upwardly from the eyes to a position resting on top of the helmet. Using a retaining means attached to the rear of the helmet does not prevent the goggles from slipping back from their position on the front of the helmet to the rear of the helmet and ultimately, off of the helmet, only to dangle from the rear of the helmet by the retaining means attached thereto. Also, having a retaining means located at the back of the helmet exerts a force on the eyewear tending to pull the eyewear off the helmet. Moreover, because of the competitive nature of many sporting events, or even a desire to have and wear smaller, lighter helmets, athletes and other users will often purchase what is called a short xe2x80x9cshell helmetxe2x80x9d. Short-shell helmets are lightweight and have a low profile compared with regular scale helmets. Short-shell helmets have a portion removed or cut away above the ear. As such, the eyewear retaining means is often placed on the rear of the helmet for lack of an alternative location. In another aspect, the present invention seeks to fulfill the need to have a means of retaining eyewear to helmets.
The present invention is directed to a helmet which includes a shell portion, a liner portion which is in the interior part of the helmet, and a means in the liner for mounting one or more accessories on the helmet. In one embodiment the means includes an insert portion which is embedded in the liner portion, wherein the insert portion includes a place for mounting one or more accessories, such as chin straps, side flaps, padding, and the like.
In one particular embodiment, the multiple mounting portion of the insert includes an aperture, wherein a fastener can be mounted through the aperture. In one instance, the fastener can be used to support a chin strap. In one instance, the fastener can protrude through the outer shell giving the appearance and look and feel of a sturdy, thick shelled helmet, all the while being a relatively thin-shelled helmet.
In another particular embodiment, the helmet includes a second fastener mounted to the insert. In one instance, the second fastener is a snap-on fastener, wherein an ear flap or ear padding can also be conveniently fastened to the insert.
In another aspect of the invention, an in-mold helmet is disclosed. The in-mold helmet has a shell portion, a liner portion interior to the shell portion, and an insert portion with a multiple mounting portion and an anchoring portion embedded in the foam liner. The anchoring portion includes an arcuate member with a surface being aligned against the inner liner, so as to resist being pulled from the liner. The arcuate member is connected to the mounting portion of the insert by one or more members.
In one particular embodiment, a helmet includes four insert portions, one at each quadrant of the helmet. Each insert has a multiple mounting portion with a fastener for a chin strap, wherein a portion of the fastener protrudes through the exterior shell. Each insert has a second fastener for coupling to a second accessory. In one instance, the second fastener is a snap on fastener and ear padding is attached to the second fastener.
In another aspect of the invention, a helmet liner insert is provided. The insert is made to be lightweight, yet sturdy enough to support one or more accessories. To this end, the insert includes a multiple mounting portion and an anchoring portion. The anchoring portion includes a arcuate member having a surface aligned against the inner liner. The arcuate member is connected to the mounting portion by one or more members. The insert can suitably be made by an injection molding process from plastics.
In another aspect of the invention, a method for making a helmet is disclosed that includes placing an insert with a multiple mounting portion and an anchoring portion in the helmet liner.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method for making an in-mold helmet is provided. The method includes placing an insert having a multiple mounting portion and an anchoring portion in a mold where the shell is located and then forming the liner. In this manner, at least an anchoring portion is embedded in the liner. The anchoring portion secures the insert to the helmet. The multiple mounting portion serves to attach one or more accessories to the helmet.
In one embodiment, the present invention provides a protective helmet comprising an outer shell portion, a liner portion interior to the shell portion and attached thereto, and a means for attaching one or more accessories to the helmet. In one actual embodiment, four injection molded rigid plastic inserts, each having means for mounting one or more accessories to the helmet, are used in a helmet. The inserts have mounting and anchoring portions. The anchoring portions are in the liner portion. Two inserts are provided on either side of the helmet.
The helmet according to the present invention provides numerous advantages over existing helmets. For example, a fastener in the insert can be allowed to protrude through the shell. The fastener, in addition to being used to hold one or more accessories, also provides structural integrity to the helmet by connecting the shell to the liner. The helmet according to the invention provides sufficient impact attenuation properties, and allows various items, such as straps or other accessories, to be attached to the protective helmet, while still allowing the outer shell to be of lightweight construction. The outer shell is allowed to be of more lightweight construction, as it is not required to support attached items. The insert allows releasable parts like straps, ear protectors, pads, webbing, ventilation ducts, and other items to be coupled to the helmet via the insert. The insert is even capable of providing the necessary support for rivets, snaps, and other like attachment means.
In one particular embodiment, the insert according to the present invention can be used to provide an eyewear retaining portion located on the side of the helmet. The retaining portion retains the eyewear from the top and bottom.
Accordingly, the present invention is also directed to a helmet, including a shell portion, a liner portion interior to the shell portion, and means for retaining eyewear on the side of a helmet, wherein the means retain the eyewear from the top and bottom.
In one embodiment, the helmet according to the present invention includes two eyewear retaining portions, each located on either side of the helmet.
In one embodiment, the helmet according to the present invention includes a shell portion, a liner portion interior to the shell portion, and an insert portion in the liner. A side portion can be attached to the insert portion, and an eyewear retaining portion can be attached to the side portion. The eyewear retaining portion is also attached to the helmet shell at a second end.
In one particular embodiment, the retaining portion is a strap. The strap is attached to the side portion, and the opposite end is releasable, allowing the placement of eyewear elastic bands.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method for making a helmet is disclosed. The method of making a helmet includes placing an eyewear retaining portion on the side of the helmet. The retaining portion is capable of retaining the eyewear from the top and bottom.
In one particular aspect, the side portions are located on opposing sides of the helmet. The side portions are securely fastened to the helmet via the insert portion. The side portions extend down a sufficient distance. The side portions can be made of plastic or any other material capable of providing rigid support to the eyewear retaining portion.
The present invention provides a protective helmet, either short-shell, in-mold or otherwise, that allows for eyewear retaining means on the side of a helmet. The retaining portions are placed at optimal locations along the protective helmet, including the sides, such that the protective eyewear may be removed and secured in a temporary position.
The side portions of the present invention have many advantages. First, they may be equipped with various pads and/or insulating members to protect the user from outside elements. Second, they provide a mounting location for the eyewear retaining portions that are used to secure eyewear to the side of the helmet. The present invention includes side eyewear retaining portions used to secure eyewear to the side of the helmet, rather than in the rear, as in many prior art helmets. The eyewear retaining portions are attached both to the outer shell and to the side portions. In doing so, this provides significant advantages. For example, if eyewear elastic bands are securely fastened to the helmet at the sides, the user can temporarily remove the lens/frame portion and place it on top of the helmet without the lens/frame portion potentially sliding back and falling off of the helmet. Rather, by securing the elastic bands along the sides of the helmet, the tension placed on the lens/frame portion is directed down onto the helmet rather than toward the rear. Subsequently, this keeps the lens/frame portion firmly on the helmet and prevents it from dangling or getting tangled while it is not in use, but merely resting on the helmet. Previous helmets having only a single rear retaining portion do not provide the proper amount of downward pressure on the lens/frame portion to keep it on the helmet. The present invention may, in addition, also use a rear eyewear retaining portion.